A Date With Fate

by Tracy Ellen

  I lifted my hand, mumbling, “Sorry…excuse me.”

  I then rudely walked away from them all--my customers, my staff, and the police. On increasingly wobbly legs, I headed towards the back door. I needed air desperately.

  A couple of uniformed cops were coming up the aisle from that direction. They gave me a curious look, but rushed past me to join in the excited confusion of action behind me. I kept heading for the back door and freedom. It seemed like I was wading through water. I kept my head down, watching my shaky legs move slowly like they didn’t belong to me.

  Sounding like he was yelling down a tunnel, I heard Jack’s official voice directing his men to secure the man on the floor. The wife beater screamed and cried, incoherently bellowing curses, and tried to fight them off. I heard a crackling sound and then silence. I ought to be interested as I’ve never seen anyone tasered before, but I felt strangely tingly and numb.

  Some instinct had me looking up. Luke stood framed in the back door entrance a few feet to the right of me. His searching gaze swept right past me without pausing as he scanned all the activity happening in the store.

  His head snapped back to me. His eyes briefly closed tight while he murmured something under his breath. I saw he was frowning and his mouth shaped my name, but I didn’t hear a sound over the roaring in my ears.

  When I felt Luke’s strong arms, a feeling of safety washed over me that I’ve only experienced before in my life when held by my grandmother as a child. My whole body was quivering with the shakes now and my head hurt. The tingly feeling was worse. I felt outside myself looking on from far away. Before I could rest my forehead against his wide shoulder for just a minute, I knew there was something important I needed to tell him.

  ‘Oh, yeah.’

  I whispered, “Sometimes a kick in the gonads does decide things in my favor.”

  Chapter X

  “King of Anything” by Sara Barilles

  Saturday, 11/17/12

  4:45 PM

  Anna was patting my hand and peering down at me worriedly. Even when she’s worried, her face looks like it’s trying to stop itself from breaking out into a smile of knowing a secret you don’t. This isn’t on purpose, but a nervous reaction to stress. Anna can’t help she looks guilty when she’s anxious, but you can imagine the trouble it’s caused us.

  It took me a second to realize I was lying on the sofa in my apartment. I stared around bemusedly for a moment and then it all came rushing back.

  I pulled my hand back and sat up hurriedly, and then swayed with the rush. I pushed aside the afghan. “Whew! What happened, how did I get up here? How’s Larissa?”

  Anna handed me a small glass of orange juice. I accepted gratefully and started chug-a-lugging.

  “You fainted.”

  I started coughing on the orange juice at her flat words. She thumped my back.

  “No way in hell I fainted!”

  Anna’s worried visage disappeared and she glared at me. “Yes, you did faint. Luke came in the back door and swept you in his arms. You dropped like a girl in a Harlequin book.” She mocked nastily, “Even your hair swung perfectly over his arm to the floor in a cascade of shimmering blondeness.” Anna finally stopped whacking my back. “Overall, Larissa’s okay. Her parents took her home right after they all talked to Jack. Everybody’s doing just peachy once the shock wore off. Her ex, Ron Hansen, showed up only a couple minutes before we did. The bad news is, he hit Larissa in the mouth and shook her around, that poor girl, but luckily he didn’t have time to do anything else besides threaten the other people.” She added an afterthought. “Oh yeah, I got your purse, and Stella closed the store.”

  “Thanks.”

  I didn’t dare laugh. It was weird seeing Anna upset at me. It’s unnatural for cute, chipmunky types to be mad. I plunked the empty juice glass down on the coffee table and lay back, crossing an elbow over my eyes. I was relieved all was handled downstairs, but wondered how long I had been out on the sofa.

  Besides, I didn’t really feel much like laughing. I’m sure passing out is a normal reaction when dealing with the aftermath of adrenaline and shock in an average person. I hated knowing I reacted like an average girl. I had to face the truth. I wasn’t some tough chick that could kick a man in the balls a few times, then walk away and get ready for a night out with the girls. Apparently, I needed a nap first.

  Anna wasn’t done with me. She went on mercilessly. “Then Luke carried you up here.” Over my loud groan, she carried on. “You came to out of your faint and said,” Her voice went falsetto, “‘Oh, Luke, you are so strong, please be my man and take care of me’.”

  I peeked over my arm at Anna. “Yeah, right. How can you say the words ‘Harlequin book’ to me with a straight face, you mean, little vermin.”

  “Listen, Junior, if you hadn’t just fainted for over an hour,” Anna loudly emphasized the words, “I’d be tempted to smack the stupid out of you for running into the store the way you did!”

  I sat up again and regarded the pissed off Anna standing above me. My head still had a lingering trace of the pounding headache I’d felt earlier, and it felt tender to the touch. I was slightly nauseous, and even though I was no longer shaking, I felt weak as a kitten. I was in no mood for taking any shit.

  “Are you mad I went into the store, or just mad I did it without you?”

  “Both!” Anna yelled, shaking her fists at me. “My god, Junior, that crazy madman could have had a gun or…or…a knife! You could have been seriously fucked up. I could have helped, but no, you ran off. You left me out there not knowing what the hell was going on! That really blows!”

  “Well, excuse me for not stopping to draw a play action in the dirt.” I shot back, and regretted it instantly. My head was thumping again and I rubbed my forehead in agitation. I went on more reasonably. “Come on, Anna, I couldn’t drag you in there with me. What if I got you hurt?”

  Anna did a little jig of frustration in front of me. “That’s my point exactly! You left ME behind to watch something bad possibly happen to YOU, you moron woman!”

  I reached for her arm and pulled her down beside me on the sofa. I wasn’t quite yelling, but my voice was still raised. “Fine. Next time I plan to go kick the crap out of some wife beating, ex-con, I’ll send you an engraved invitation, okay? We’ll attack him together singing a duet. Will that make you happy, you bloodthirsty badger?”

  Anna snorted and frowned, fussing with NanaBel’s knit afghan until it covered over both of our legs and laps. “Okay, fine. Just don’t leave me behind ever again.”

  “Gotcha. No behinds will be left.” I pushed her knee with mine and teased her. “Come on, you know you love me like I’m your best friend, so don’t be mad at me.” I nudged her again. “How’s about next time we’ll do a bunny hop together to lure whoever we’re attacking into a false sense of security before we jump him? Do you like that plan?”

  Anna relented and smiled a little, pushing my knee away with hers. “That sounds like it would work. Just don’t forget about the singing part before we let loose a flurry of blows on their unsuspecting head.”

  “Oh, please, like I would ever forget the need to sing with you right before commencing some serious flurrying. Good god, next you’ll be questioning my head blowing abilities.”

  Laying her head on my shoulder, Anna chuckled. “I would never question your head blowing abilities, but I think…”

  “I think you two are completely, bat-shit crazy, that’s what I think.”

  At the sound of the caustic voice booming across the space like a cannon salvo, we both jumped sky high. Anna squealed and threw the entire afghan over her head. I sprang to my feet, turned to face the foyer, lost my balance, and nearly fell backwards over the coffee table. Only by windmilling my arms frantically was I able to stay upright.

  “You scared us sneaking up like that!”

  Jack stood surveying me with legs slightly spread, hands on his hips, and his ever present aviators pushed up
on his head. He shrugged off his POLICE jacket and tossed it back on the bench in the foyer. “Three people come stomping up your stairs and you two were so loud you didn’t hear us? Not my problem you were scared, Sheila Shit-kicker.”

  That was a gentle reminder I was doomed for eternity with a slew of new names to live down after today. Head throbbing like a bass drum, I massaged my temples.

  Next to him, a grinning Stella held a tray with a trio of oversized mugs; steaming curlicues rising enticingly up from their depths. Her eyes were pink around the edges, but she was no longer crying or upset. Behind her was my hero. Luke had no expression whatsoever on his face as he steadily regarded me.

  If I had thought I might be shy facing Luke after I had passed out in his arms like a pussy, it paled in comparison to the embarrassment I now was feeling. Realizing he had been listening to Anna and I acting like the immature weirdino’s we so often are was cringe-worthy. I wished I had an afghan over my head.

  I took in that his short, black hair wasn’t mussed just so, and his unbuttoned shirt over his T was wrinkled. I saw faint, dark shadows under his eyes. I’d never seen Luke looking so rumpled and unkempt. Usually, he looked sharp and put together, even when wearing his five o’clock shadow.

  My blush of embarrassment was quickly turning into confusion at being observed so coolly by this detached, expressionless Luke. Stella walked around the sofa. She carefully set the tray on the low table. I was distracted when she handed me a cup of hot chocolate piled high with mounds of whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles. I could now sit down and ignore Luke’s strange behavior with some semblance of dignity. I also ignored Stella’s giggles and Jack’s disgusted expression. Jack came into the room and sat down heavily on the roomy, club chair he always preferred across from me.

  Anna popped out of her blanket burrow and eagerly accepted a mug of chocolate. Stella served herself and then perched on the sofa on my other side. With spoons in hand, the three of us dug into the rich, cold cream atop the hot chocolate, oohing and aahing as we slurped contentedly.

  Still not looking in Luke’s direction, I moaned in gratitude. “Thanks, Stell. This is just what the doctor ordered.”

  “You’re welcome, but it was your boyfriend’s idea.” Stella winked with a broad smile at my startled glance. “Dr. Luke said you’d need something ‘hot and sweet’ after you woke up.” She wiggled her eyebrows and said under her breath, “That’s what she said….”

  Anna snorted into her hot chocolate, almost spilling the towering spoonful being navigated to her mouth.

  I snorted, too. But only due to the fact that Stella looked so lascivious when winking and being suggestive it was quite creepy.

  Jack, smacking the arms of his chair, stood up. “Fun time over, girls. Anabel, since you are feeling better it’s time to get down to business.”

  Anna set her cup on the tray and raised her hand tentatively. “May I go to the bathroom, Chief?”

  Jack threw her an annoyed look and didn’t bother with an answer. In his shirtsleeves and shoulder holster, crossed arms bulging with muscles, and chewing rhythmically on a piece of gum, Jack was the embodiment of impatient, masculine authority. Knowing Anna had seriously been asking for a hall pass, I nudged her it was okay. She took off in grateful relief for the guest bath. Chief Jack terrifies her.

  Stella worriedly asked Jack, “That man won’t be able to get out of jail and come back, will he?”

  The law is one subject Chief Jack is happy to expound on at length. I lost track of their conversation when Luke sat on the sofa next to me in Anna’s vacated spot.

  I finally made myself meet his hard, dark green gaze when he leaned in, not touching me, but with an arm behind me along the back of the sofa. Up close, his serious expression wasn’t looking so detached. I could see he was extremely unhappy. I sighed inside, wishing I was wrong and that he wasn’t mad at me, too.

  Luke spoke softly. “I was relieved Anna was giving you a hard time, until the end. Then I was disappointed in you both. Instead of admitting the correct choice was waiting in safety and letting the professionals handle things; you promise your friend she can help next time. How asinine can you be?”

  When he paused, I was so dismayed at his unexpected words I sat frozen. He was completely composed on the surface, yet I’ve never seen his eyes look so coldly furious. Mine were wide with surprise as I stared into his face. The random thought crossed my mind that this was the Luke people saw on the job—whatever that was. He looked so ferocious; I’d want him covering my six any time. I just didn’t want him on my ass and disappointed in me.

  “I’m a very strong man, Anabel. If we were alone right now, I would love to put you over my lap and spank some sense into your hard head via your ass until my arm was very, very tired. That’s how pissed I am at your lack of care for your own safety.”

  At my sharp intake of breath, he pulled back and met my narrowed eyes with a serious, yet slightly mocking look of his own.

  Now I was pissed. I couldn’t believe he was casually mentioning spanking me after what I had just done to a man who was hurting a woman. I couldn’t believe he thought I was so stupid I didn’t care about my own safety. I was here, wasn’t I? I couldn’t believe he called me asinine for joking around with my friend! That really hurt. Most of all, I couldn’t believe everyone seemed to want a piece of me for kicking down that low-life wife beater.

  He ignored my cold gaze. Taking his time, Luke’s glittering eyes traveled over my face before settling on my mouth. He gave an odd, half-smile then, as if the joke were on him.

  I faced forward and sat stiff.

  ‘The ass should worry over his lack of care for his own safety with me. He obviously didn’t get me.’

  Luke leaned back in close to my ear. “Or should I kiss you instead, and then make love to you until you can’t walk for a week?” I felt the whisper of his lips on my neck. “I wonder if you even know which you’d prefer.”

  ‘What the hell?’ Could Luke seriously think I’d choose to be spanked over being made love to? Until I couldn’t walk for a week, no less?

  His use of the words ‘make love’ made it through the mad. I hesitated a second in my offended thoughts. In getting to know Luke these last months, I’ve come to respect his perspectives on life. His observations on the world around him are sharp and concise. He is a logical thinker and a man of action. He expected a lot out of himself, and probably has similar high standards for those people involved in his personal life.

  My shoulders relaxed as the defensive anger drained out of me. Luke didn’t want to physically hurt me. With his broader experiences of fighting to draw from, he was upset at what I had done and scared at what could have happened. He cared about me. I shouldn’t repay him with anger because he said incredibly dumb, male things to express himself in the aftermath of relief.

  I stifled my shiver his mention of spankings and his light caress on my neck caused inside me. I decided in this instance he was way off-base, but I understood why he was frustrated enough to need to say such things.

  I sensed the day we met I didn’t fit the description of the type of female he normally dated. I think he was hit over the head and stunned with the same feelings of unexplainable, inexplicable attraction that I experienced. My independent ways would always taunt and challenge him. I bet any women Luke previously dated didn’t cause him any trouble or worry. They’d have a set role he gave them in his life. He’d feel secure in the knowledge they’d be waiting for him in their quietly calm, dependably mature worlds while he went out and lived dangerously.

  In case nobody noticed, I am not that kind of woman. Also, weird stuff happens to me all the time. I don’t understand why, but it’s like I’m some sort of magnet for the bizarre and freaky.

  I fear Luke is destined to be disappointed in me if that means I must sit back and never take risks to prevent his worry. I appreciated his shoulder, but I didn’t need a constant hero, or a daddy, or a control freak. A man that consid
ers me his equal, not in the sense of physical strength, but in the mind and spirit; was what I was cautiously hoping to find in Luke. It was why I dated so few, perfectly nice men more than once or twice without getting bored. I knew what I didn’t want in a man. What suited the real me has always been a different story.

  Jack and Stella were still talking, but I noticed Jack’s cop eyes strayed often to Luke beside me.

  ‘What the hell again! Did I actually see a glimmer of approbation there, and not his usual instant dismissal? Now didn’t that just figure?’

  This was turning out to be a humdinger of a weekend.

  “Anabel, look at me.”

  I did look at Luke, but I kept my face politely inquiring, determined to not let him see how he affected me.

  His expression had softened. “Bravery is being able to act even when you’re scared. You are a brave woman, Anabel. Your friends are lucky to have someone care about them like you do.” His lips tightened. “You were also an idiot. The situation could have gone south and gotten real ugly; fast. You need training to do what you did.” He patted my thigh and made to get up.

  His blunt words had reaffirmed all I thought and gave me some hope we could find our middle ground. Except for the idiot part, but I was willing to work with him on his stupidity.

  I put a hand on his arm and stayed him. “You are almost absolutely right.”

  Luke was surprised. I had caught him off-guard. “I am, huh? Right about what, specifically?”

  Palms up, I shrugged. “Pretty much everything you’ve said.”

  He smiled a little then, and some of his tense grimness eased. “Everything?”

  I ignored his innuendo. “I definitely need some self-defense training. If you could help by pointing me in the right direction, that would be great. I did do something stupid on the face of it, and I was lucky the good guys won.” I kissed him softly on his cheek. I sat back and smiled up at his still face. With sincere gratitude I added, “Thank you for catching me when I passed out.”